Plate-glass-transfer apparatus



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PLATE GLASS TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed 001;. 29, 1923 Patented ug. 123, 1929.

' UNITEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. FOX, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSGNOR TO PITTSBURGH PLATE GLASS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PLATE-GLASS-TR-ANSFR APPARATUS.

Application fde October 29, 1923. Serial No. 671,398.

The invention relates toa process and apparatus for surfacing plate glass which is formed in a continuous ribbon. It has for its primary object the ,'cheapening of the glass surfacing operation (grinding and polishing) by eliminating the requirement for cutting itinto sections and securing the glass to the tops of surfacing tables by plaster or other means as has heretofore been done. has ,for its further object the shortening of the surfacing operation by the provision of procedure and means whereby Ythe glass is ground and polished on its two surfaces simultaneously. One embodiment of the in- `vention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the first portion of the apparatus. Fig. 1a is a side elevation of the second portion of the apparatus and forming a continuation thereof. Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are sections on the lines H-IL III-IH, IV-IV and V-V of Fig. 1. And

Fig. 6 is a section through a modification.

The .glass sheet or ribbon which. is to be surfaced `is preferably formed from a tank in the manner indicated in the application of Frederick Gelstharp, Serial No. 656,441 and after its formation is passed through a leer, the outlet end of which is indicated by the reference numeral 1, such leer' also being of the roller type shown in the Gelstharp application referred to. After the ribbon 2, which is now set and fully annealed emerges from the leer, it is gradually twisted from a horizontal plane to a vertical plane by passing between a plurality of pairs of driven rolls 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10- and 11, the .number of pairs of rolls and the distance required in which to bend the glass from a horizontal to a vertical plane depending upon conditions, but in all cases, the bending is so gradual that the strain upon the glass is not sufficient to fracture it. The twisting rolls are each carried in an annular framework 12 mounted for rotary adjustment in Ithe'. semiannular base 13, .the opposing flanges of the members 12 and 13 being slottedjto receive the bolts 14 so` that the angle of adjustment of the rolls may be varied tosuit requirements. The rolls are mounted in suitable bearings carried by the frame 12 and are provided at their ends with the worm wheels 15 drivenby a worm 16. The'worms are coupled together .in series by the shaft sections 17 which have at each end the universal joints 18 so that the line shaft which is thus formed is made perfectly flexible to take care of the varying angles of adjustment of the sets of twisting rolls. The end line shaft section 19 carriesa sprocket wheel 2O which is driven from the motor 21 through the reducing gearing in the. casing 22 and the 'sprocket chain 23. In forder to guide the glass between the pairs of rolls and prevent any interruption in case the glass breaks, the

pairs of endless belts 7a are employed on op.

posite sides of the glass, such belts'passing between all of the pairs of rolls and around the rear thereof as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5.

After theglass ribbon passes the twisting rolls, itis supported at its lower edge by a series of V rollers 24 which serve to support the ribbon during the surfacing operation. The glass is first acted upon by la series of grinding machines 25, 26- and 27, three only of which are shown, but it will be understood that a larger number are employed, thenumber being dependent upon the speed at which the ribbon of glass is carried past the machines. The invention is not limited to the use of any particular type of grinding machine, the only limitation being that these machines must be arranged opposite each other so that the force applied on one side of the sheet will counterbalance that applied on the Aother side, thuseliminating the danger of breakage. v have runners of cast iron to which a mixture `of abrasive and water is supplied. Theabrasive is ypreferably sand vfor the-.first grinding machines and-emery for the final ones, a sand grader 28 being shown with pipes 29 leading to perforated pipes 30 above the various machines. may be fed through the runner 'spindles as in Patent 637,306. As is common in all `grinding operations, the grader will supply the coarsest abrasive to the first grinding machine and successively finer -grades to the succeeding machines. The vdrainage from the grinders is returned through the ditch or trough 30a to the sump 30, .from which it is pumped up to the grader 28 for reuse.

The grinding machines are all the same If desired, the abrasive- These machines preferably bon 2. 'Ihis adjustment is accomplishedby means. of a threaded rod 33 extending through a suitable nut in the base and provided with a hand wheel 34. Mounted upon the base is a standard 35 provided with a tubular portion 36' to which is keyed `the stationary gear 37. `Mounted to rotate in shaft 43. The inner end of this shaft carries A the cup shaped runner 44, while the .outer endfis provided with a pinion 45 meshing with a stationary gear 37. rIt will be seen that the arrangement provides a planetary drive for the runners, the frame 39 being rotated uponl its shaft 38and each of the,

. runners being rotated about'their axes43 by reason ofthe engagement of their pinions with the fixed Agear 37.

After the ribbon has'been ground and smoothed by the sand and emery, it is carried past the pairs of vertical brushes 46 to which water is supplied and which serve to free the glass fromany abrasive preliminary to the polishing operation. These brushes arev provided at their upper ends with the gears 47' engagedby a pinion 48 and this pinion is driven from the motor 49 through. the

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intermediary of the bevel gears 540 and the.

ilarlfto thedrive described in connection with l--thefbrushes46. The glass is then cut into shaft51 to which the gear 48 is keyed.

The glass is now ready. for polishing and passes between a; series o'f polishing machines 52, 53and 54. Here as in the case of -the grinders a much larger number of polishers are preferably'used than shown, the number depending upon the speed at which the glass is moved forward' 'and' other conditions. Also as in the case of the'grinders, the polishing machines including their.

motors 55 are mounted upon the bases. '56 for movement toward and from vthe glass, this being accomplished by means of threaded shafts 57 rotated by means of hand wheels 58. The sameymetliod of driving the polishing blocks is employed in these machines as is done with the grinding machines hereto# cisl fore-described, the only difference being that the polishing frame 59 carries eight polish-l ing runners 60 instead of the .four grinding runners used upon the grinding machines.

The runners of blocks 60.are faced with felt and the polishing is accomplished by means `of a mixture of rouge and water supplied to the perforated pipes 61 located above the machines. In order to provide forthe application of yielding pressureto theglass,

the shafts carrying the polishing blocks arel mounted for longitudinal movement relative to the frame 59 which carries them and springs 62 are provided yieldingly pressing p the polisher blocks forward.

In order to assist in moving the ribbon along between the grinding and polishing runners, a plurality of pairs of vertical rolls 65 are employed. These rolls are mounted in suitable bearings andare driven from the line shaft 66 which forms a continua-tion of the ieXible line shaft and is driven from.

the motor 21. Theiline shaft 66 is provided with worms corresponding to the Worms 16 which engage worm'wheels secured to the movement of the ribbon and to avoid imposing any binding effect thereon. These casings serve to guide the ribbon from one set-of rolls to-'the next'when the operation vis started, andperforma similar function in 'case' the ribbon breaks during .thel bending operation.

.After the. glass passes the polishing machines, it is acted upon. brushes 63 to which water is supplied, such brushes being driven from a motor 64, simsectionsof. suitable lentli-y and removed to storage racks, thus c ompeting the operation. A 'greatadvantage ofthe operation over one 'vin which-the glass is cut in sections as it Vends of the roll shafts. These rolls and the by other cleaning` l ino emerges from the leer, lies in the fact that f lthev labor and expense of laying theglass .'upon the tables `forsurfacing and then releasing itand turning it over for the second surfacing operationare entirely eliminated.

A further advantage, incident to grinding while the ribbon is in a vertical position lies 'in the -facththat the two sides carie1 be surfaced at thevsame time, thus reducing by one halfgthe time ordinarily required for completing lthe surfacing operation. Other advantages will beA readily apparent to those skilled in the art.- What I claim is:

1. -A process for producing and surfacing I sheet. glass which consists in forming the glass in a continuous, forwardly moving ribbon, annealing the ribbon as it moves forward,- gradually turning the ribbon from a .horizontal to avertical plane after it is anynealed, and surfacing thevopposite sides -of the glass at the same time as it moves forward in a vertical plane.

l 2. Apparatus for surfacinga continuously formed ribbon of glass after it is annealed, which Consists of a series of pairs of rolls with the planes of the passes therebetween successively departing more and more from that of the first pass and with that of the last pass at right angles thereto, and a plut rality of pairs of surfacing machines arranged along the path of the ribbon with the members-of each pair in opposition.

3, Apparatus for surfacing a continuously formed ribbon of glas-s after it is annealed, which Consists of a series of pairs of rolls With the planes of the passes therebetweenlast pass at right angles thereto, a plurality f of pairs of surfacing machines arranged along the path of the ribbon with the members of each pair in opposition, andmeans for driving the machines.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 24 day of Oct.,

JOHN H. FOX.A 

